Car is defined today as an “automobile or vehicle.” But centuries ago, the word referred to a “chariot, cart, or carriage.” The word’s origins come from an Old French variation of the Latin word carra, which referred to an “ancient type of wagon.” Th

It wasn’t the first nor was it the longest interstate highway. But more than any other road, Route 66 is famous in U.S. history. It became a symbol of freedom, opportunity, and the beauty of the American West. Heading south from Chicago, it passed ov

Do you get bored when you are stuck in the car on long trips? Here are a few ideas to help make those times more enjoyable. Some can be played on the spot. Others require a little advance planning. Either way, you’ll be ready to roll on any trip. Pic

The nation’s first road was built between 1811 and 1839. Its length was 620 miles, from the Potomac River in Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois. At that time, people traveled by horse- or oxen-drawn stagecoaches, carriages, and wagons. To help guide thos

Imagine living in a place where your front yard is constantly changing but the grass never needs mowing, where going to school means a field trip, and where every day is full of new discoveries, new people, and new things to learn. Sound exciting?

When people share their memories of Route 66, its billboards and neon signs always come up. In fact, some advertisements along the road have become as famous as the road itself. Take, for example, the creative use of billboards. Travelers through Ari

Good-bye, rigid train schedules. So long, impersonal and formal hotels. Hello, shiny new automobile! Around 1910, Americans discovered a welcome alternative to their traditional vacation plans—the automobile. It allowed people to explore beyond their

Thank you, Claudia, for helping to preserve the natural beauty along America’s highways. Are you wondering why I used the mystery hero’s name? Well, almost no one knows this month’s mystery person by her real name. While she was still a small child,

Souvenir shop owner and former barber Angel Delgadillo felt as though his town was forgotten overnight. In 1978, Interstate 40, part of the new Interstate Highway System, offered a high-speed route to the West Coast—one that avoided small towns. Seli

Between 1914 and 1924, inventor Thomas A. Edison, automotive pioneer Henry Ford, rubber tire developer Harvey Firestone, and nature writer John Burroughs took weeks-long autocamping trips together. Calling themselves the Four Vagabonds, the close fri

The earliest car headlamps were fueled by oil. By 1912, an automobile electrical system was designed, which powered a car’s headlamps. The first commercial radio was installed in a car in 1930. It offered AM frequency only. FM radio was not included

Ask a group of people to help complete this story. Read the clue below each blank line and ask someone to provide you with a word that fits that description. Encourage silly answers—the result will be funnier! Once all the blanks are filled in—and on

I love history, and I’ve spent many vacations going to historic places. (Civil War battlefields are some of my favorites!) But I also love exploring by car and just enjoying the scenery. I took the gang on a tour of some of my all-time favorite drive

One of the best-kept stretches of Route 66 is in Arizona. Many original Route 66 attractions are still standing, including an enormous fiberglass jack rabbit. The Jack Rabbit Trading Post has been drawing travelers for decades with its statue, comple

Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson agreed to a wager that made road-trip history on May 19, 1903. He proposed to drive across the continent within three months. He wanted to disprove the belief that over long distances “the automobile was an unreliable novel

Scenic road trips aren’t exclusive to the United States. Check out these famous international drives. One of the best drives in Australia is the 151-mile-long Great Ocean Road. It runs along the southeastern coast between Torquay and Warrnambool. Bui

A vocal group of Americans expressed frustration with the state of rural roads in the late 1800s. Most early roads were built and maintained by private groups in the individual states through which they passed. Roads often were just spurs that did no

Americans were initially suspicious of the benefits of car ownership. But thanks to Henry Ford’s use of the assembly line to mass-produce the Model T, automobiles became convenient and affordable. Between 1910 and 1930, the number of cars in the Unit

Construction of Liberty Enlightening the World began in 1876. The completed statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886. But its creator, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, spent nearly two decades thinking about, designing, organizing, and building this magni

We’re looking for a funny caption for this photo. Send your idea, name, and address in an email to COBBLESTONE at cobblestone@cricketmedia.com. Include a note from a parent or a legal guardian clearly stating: “This is my child’s original work, and C

Just to provide some scale to the size of the Statue of Liberty, here’s a photo of one of its feet. If one of the toes were turned to go up and down instead of lying flat, it would stand at about the height (if not taller) than the man standing next